Millay Colony for the Arts Offers 2nd Annual Cave Canem Residency

Millay Colony for the Arts continues its collaboration with Cave Canem with the second annual CC Residency for the 2012 season. The Colony, which offers one-month residencies to six visual artists, writers and composers every month between April and November, has designated one of each year’s 48 coveted spots for a Cave Canem poet.

Founded in 1996 by poets Toi Derricotte and Cornelius Eady to remedy the under-representation and isolation of African American poets in MFA programs and writing workshops, Cave Canem is a home for the many voices of African American poetry and is committed to cultivating the artistic and professional growth of African American poets.

“We’re pleased to partner with the Millay Colony for the Arts to establish an annual residency for a Cave Canem poet,” said Cave Canem Executive Director Alison Meyers. “Opportunities for writers to work uninterrupted in tranquil surroundings are rare—so this residency is a very welcome addition to our program of services.”

Caroline Crumpacker, Executive Director of the Millay Colony, agreed. “All of us at The Millay Colony are honored to be working with Cave Canem, a generous/generative organization that has added so much depth and intelligence to the conversation around and within contemporary poetry. We very much look forward to welcoming Cave Canem fellows to our Colony and, thereby, expanding the conversation that takes place here.”

The Colony offers comfortable private rooms, private studio spaces, and ample time to work in a quiet, pastoral atmosphere. The facilities are located on the property where the poet Edna St. Vincent Millay lived at the height of her literary career. The campus has seven-acres of meadows and forest in Austerlitz, New York, USA, adjacent to the former Millay home and gardens and the exquisite Harvey Mountain State Forest.

The Millay Colony provides food for breakfasts, lunches, and weekend dinners. On Monday through Friday evening meals are prepared by an excellent local chef. There is no obligation, however, to be present with the group at the prepared evening meal. We have a share in a nearby bio-dynamic farm and so the bulk of our food is local and farm-fresh.

To Apply:
Cave Canem Fellows will go through the juried application process. One Fellow is guaranteed a residency. The rest of the Cave Canem Fellows who’ve applied will also be considered for additional spots.

Online application submission for 2012 Residency Program. http://millaycolony.submishmash.com/submit

Application submissions via mail also available for 2012 season. http://www.millaycolony.org/apply

Cave Canem applicants should indicate their status as fellows in response to the application question, "How did you hear of Millay Colony?" Details and form are available on the website.